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www.iwantabuzz.com August 2009 18 Jacksonville’s Wealth of Choices Imagine the thunderous growl of a dinosaur, the crack of a Civil War musket heard across the battlefield or the high “C” of a trumpet solo and the toot-toot of a model train chugging by. How about the sweet smell of a formal garden, the texture of a sculpture and the chest-thumping bass line of a rock concert set to laser lights? The museums of Jacksonville offer the chance not only to see, but to hear, touch, feel and smell our world. Here is a tour of some of the local hot spots you might not be familiar with. MOCA The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) is described as a place for the community to get together, interact and discuss ideas concerning art, according to director Debbie Broder. “The second floor holds our permanent collection,” she said. “It features four galleries, and we rotate those to portray the full scope of our collection.” With over 60,000 square feet in a historic building on Hemming Plaza downtown, this is where one can see the best in post-World War II art. In July, a “drawdown” was held in which aspiring artists pulled an all-nighter, creating personal masterpieces until the break of dawn. The next day, their works were put on display. Let’s see them do that at the Louvre! Two films coming up in August: “Downtown 81,” about graffiti artist, musician and poet Jean-Michel Basquiat, and “Louise Bourgeois-The Spider, the Mistress and the Tangerine,” a documentary chronicling the life of one of the early women in the modern art movement. Visit www.mocajacksonville.org for more details. Ritz Theatre & LaVilla Museum The cultural contributions of African Americans are celebrated at the Ritz Theatre & LaVilla Museum. “Jacksonville used to be segregated, and the LaVilla neighborhood was the center of that,” said Lydia Stewart, museum administrator. “We’re on the site of the original Ritz Theatre, which operated from 1929-1972, and we are not a renovated facility; we’re reconstructed.” The building boasts a 400-seat venue for performances, and there is an animatronic feature that focuses on the lives of James Weldon Johnson and his brother John Rosamond, both native sons of Jacksonville. These men co-wrote the “Negro national anthem,” “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing,” as well as hits like “Tell Me, Dusky Maiden.” Local artists also have paintings, photographs and ceramics on display. Visit the theatre and museum at 829 N. Davis St. downtown, or on the Web at www.ritzlavilla.org. MOSH Since 1941, the Museum of Science & History (“MOSH”) has been entertaining children and adults. A current highlight is “Dino-Roar,” a cave full of animated prehistoric creatures that do everything short of eating you. Morgan Black, media buyer/special events manager said, “Kids can see dinosaurs roar and hatch out of eggs, and they can actually move these dinosaurs with hand controls.” A short video can be found at www.themosh.org. MOSH has creatures that walked the earth, as well as those that swam in the oceans. “We have the Atlantic Tails exhibit that features reconstructions of indigenous underwater sea mammals,” said Black. “We try to focus on topics and creatures that have a lot of local interest.” MOSH is on the Southbank across from downtown, and make sure to inquire about its day camps and overnight camp-ins during which kids can sleep under a life-sized model of a whale. On the same site is the Alexander Brest Planetarium, home of Cosmic Concerts, a series of laser light and digitally recorded music shows under the 60-foot dome. Past extravaganzas have featured artists like Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd in a complete audio-visual extravaganza. An authentic 1912 Rambler 73-400 Cross Country, on loan from a permanent display at...
Mandarin Museum But for just a moment, forget about the electronic world we inhabit in 2009, and ponder what life must have been like in the mid-1800s. People moved at a slower pace, and if they really had to get somewhere, they took a canoe, a horse or a steamship. During that time, Mandarin was a farming community at the southern end of Jacksonville that prided itself on its fruits and vegetables, a lifestyle preserved at the Mandarin Museum & Historical Society. There’s an oldtime post office, and the 1875 farm house at Walter Jones Historical Park will be re-opened in the fall for tours. Coming up in December is “Winter Celebration in Mandarin,” with hayrides, games and musical entertainment. Visit www.mandarinmuseum.net to learn more. Southern History Have you ever tried hardtack? It’s a concrete-like biscuit made of flour and salt that apparently doesn’t taste very good, but it kept the troops alive during the Civil War. You can try some at the Museum of Southern History at 4304 Herschel St. Most folks, however, don’t go there for the hard cookies; they go to do to research the war between the states, using the more than 6000 books housed there. Others like to look up relatives that fought in the Civil War, or view the collection of guns and other artifacts. “We have a battle flag brought down from Georgia for the battle of Olustee, which was won by the South,” said L. A. Hardee, a past president of the museum who still volunteers and sits on the board. “There were about 5000 troops on each side, and the National Automobile Museum in Nevada, was used in the 1997 blockbuster Titanic. Maritime Museum Lovers of all things nautical will want to visit the Jacksonville Maritime Museum on Southbank at the south end of the Main St. Bridge, by Friendship Fountain. “The most unique exhibit here is a 19-foot model of the USS Saratoga,” says Catherine Krueger, who described her job as “chief cook and bottle washer,” but is actually administrative director. “We had some model builders who were active in the museum, and it took them four years to build it.” This isn’t the largest museum in Jacksonville, but the 1800 or so square feet are crammed with historic navigation devices like sextons and chronometers, as well as ship-building equipment. “Jacksonville is no longer a big ship-building city,” she said, “but during World War I we built concrete ships. During World War II we built 32 Liberty Ships, which transported supplies and personnel for our war effort. At one point ships were being constructed here in 30 days, because we had to build them faster than the Germans could sink them.” For museum hours, go to www.jaxmaritimemuseum.org. The Cummer The largest fine art museum in Northeast Florida is in Jacksonville, on the banks of the St. Johns River, the Cummer Museum & Gardens. “Our museum has over 5500 permanent works of art in our American and European collections,” said Amy Chamberlin, associate director of marketing. “Then we have 2.5 acres of English and Italian gardens.” But this attraction is not just for adults; kids are invited too. “We have the Art Connections area where kids under five can see and touch artwork, which is not something that many museums offer,” she said. “Another kids’ activity is painting pictures of themselves on a computer screen. They can even create a work of art, print it out and take it home.” Beginning October 15 at Cummer, “Voyages to the New World: Jacques Le Moyne and Theodor de Bry.” In the mid 1500s, France sent René de Laudonnière on his second voyage to Florida, where he helped build a settlement on the St. Johns River at Jacksonville. In this group was Jacques Le Moyne de Morgues, an artist and mapmaker who documented the visit in watercolors, which were later transferred by de Bry to engravings that will be on display. And if you ever wanted your own “night at the museum,” you’ll have the chance this fall as Cummer will be offering overnight pizza parties, scavenger hunts and movies for the kids. Check it out at www.cummer.org. it was the largest battle fought in Florida.” Hands On Museum Young people can create their own art at the Hands On Children’s Museum. “We’re an interactive museum geared for children from one to twelve,” said Patrick Cronin, floor manager. This brightly colored, castle-shaped emporium at 8580 Beach Blvd. has a dress-up area where kids can put on goofy costumes and tromp around a stage. They can reach out and touch an eight-foot box of cereal, watch puppet shows and play with scale model trains. There are a TV and radio station where kids can be the stars, a pretend-grocery store and even a post office run by kids. Check out the animated Web page, www.handsonchildrensmuseumjax.com, but uh, don’t try to eat the contents of the giant cereal box! A big part of the museum’s mission is the education of children. “Sometimes we have men dress up in Civil War outfits and the school kids can come over and fire some muskets,” said Hardee. The Museum of Southern History is also home to one of the flags that hung over Lincoln’s body after his assassination in 1865. Because these flags had to be made up in a hurry, they had the incorrect number of stars on them! Learn more about the museum, and the Civil War in general, at www.museumsouthernhistory.com. Although she never visited our city, actress and acting teacher Stella Adler said, “Life beats down and crushes the soul, and art reminds you that you have one.” So get your soul out there for a little tasting, smelling and touching at one of the many great museums in Jacksonville. Ken Deutsch also writes about technology and travel each month in his regular BUZZ column, “Where We’re Going.” Photo Credit: (Hales13) Mick Hales, View of Italian Fountain at Dusk or Dawn, April 2004. Photograph courtesy of Mick Hales, Greenworld Pictures Inc. on page 3 Takashi Soga ( Japanese, b. 1952), Sea of the Ear Rings, ‘08, 2008, metal, 13 x 13 ft., Gift of Dudley D. Johnson in memory of Dudley D. Johnson, Jr. (1961-2004), AG.2008.3.1 www.iwantabuzz.com August 2009 19
Page 1 and 2: www.iwantabuzz.com August 2009
Page 3 and 4: CONTENTS Arts & Entertainment 4-5 -
Page 5 and 6: Saltwater Grass: Aug. 8, 10pm. Loca
Page 7 and 8: Lightner Museum Daily, 9 a.m.-5 p.m
Page 9 and 10: What Do You Care About? By Ken Deut
Page 11 and 12: Museum Etiquette Museums are funny
Page 13 and 14: Cozy Tea Style: tea room Cozy Tea o
Page 15 and 16: Cigar Review SANCHO PANZA, DOUBLE M
Page 17: 1 bronze Chinese beaker, 5 Degas sk
Page 21 and 22: Unbreakable Who said records were m
Page 23 and 24: Jewish Community Alliance Style: fi
Page 25 and 26: Art 101 So, you might have been in
Page 27 and 28: UndergroUnd MUsic WORDS IN RED HIS
Page 29 and 30: Billiards Clay County Park Avenue B
Page 31 and 32: Sponsored By ON TA P Guide to Jacks
Page 33 and 34: Prof. Dubious is the most knowledge
Page 35 and 36: for the film Rebel Without a Cause,

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